The following are excerpts from an article in the Star Tribune this morning
 written by John Gilbert.
 
 The NCAA hockey tournament will return to the St Paul Civic Center the last
 weekend in March, but as the nation's college hockey teams begin their
 six-month trek toward that objective, predicting the four finalists is a
 difficult task.
 
 Wisconsin won the 1990 title with a 7-3 victory over Colgate on April 1 in
 Detroit. Both, however, were senior-dominated teams, making them long shots to
 get back into the tournament field this season.
 
 Clarkson which lost to the Gophers in the first round at Mariucci Arena last
 spring, has a good returning nucleus and should join the favorite list. And
 Cornell, bristling with talent, might overcome its enigmatic tendencies and
 move up.
 
 Boston University stands as the preseason favorite to win the Hockey East and
 return to the NCAA tournament. Boston College also returns a strong nucleus.
 And Maine gives that league three potent teams, even though coach Shawn Walsh
 lost ace goalie Matt Delguidice to the pros after the U.S. Olympic Festival.
 
 The CCHA was the most frustrated league last spring. Not only was Michigan
 State the heavy favorite to win the title, but the tournament was virtually a
 home-ice proposition for the talented Spartans, what with the final four in
 Detroit. But both the Spartans and the CCHA were shut out.
 
 While the CCHA and the ECAC should be balanced and exciting, the WCHA and
 Hockey East again appear to be the toughest leagues, top to bottom.
 Providence, New Hampshire and Northeastern could move up to scare BU, BC and
 Maine in Hockey East. And in the WCHA, Northern Michigan is as strong and deep
 as any team in the nation, and Rick Comley could have his best team ever.
 Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin and Colorado College also rank as contenders.
 
 The various national rankings have bunched Boston University and Boston
 College with North Dakota and the Gophers in the top four. The order might
 vary, but it would not be that surprising to find those four in the Civic
 Center come late March.--Carol White, U of M--GO GOPHERS!!!